Easter in Nafplio!
4-day trip to Nafplio, 03-06 May, from 229€/person.
According to mythology, its settler was Nafplios, son of Poseidon and Amymoni, while his fifth descendant participated in the famous Argonautic Campaign. Easter is probably the best time of the year to be in Nafplio and celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord. Flowering bougainvilleas adorn the beautiful, picturesque alleys, wide windows in the old mansions, pots freshly painted with spring colorful flowers. The city of Nafplion is decorated with flowers and banners at this time of year, in an atmosphere of devotion from the chanting of the churches that flood the streets. If you find yourself in a church late on the evening of Maundy Thursday, go inside to watch the custom of decorating the epitaph. Every year the excitement for the best decoration prevails. It’s an invaluable experience.
Schedule:
Day 1: Departure – Mycenae – Nafplio.
Departure from our offices early in the morning. Passing through Tempe, Larissa, Lamia, Lamia, Thebes, Corinth Canal and making the necessary stops for coffee and food, we arrive in Mycenae. The “Golden Mycenae” is one of the most famous kingdoms of ancient times. It was the kingdom of the famous Agamemnon, commander-in-chief of the Trojan campaign, and one of the largest city-states of the Peloponnese. The Mycenaean walls consisted of huge boulders that protected the city from any attack and are a model of architecture even today. The excavations have brought to the surface many findings, mainly gold (a representative example is the “Mask of Agamemnon”), which are housed in the museum of the archaeological site and in the Archaeological Museum of Athens. We will see the imposing gate of the Lions and the vaulted tombs of the Atreides. We will continue our route to the area of Nafplio and end up in the picturesque Tolo to check in to our hotel. In the evening we will watch the procession of the Epitaph and enjoy our fasting dinner.
Day 2: Hydra – Spetses.
We will have breakfast and start for an optional daily excursion to the two beautiful islands of the Saronic Gulf. Our first stop is the cosmopolitan Hydra, the island with its vast maritime tradition and perfectly preserved architecture. We will visit the mansions of Tombazis, Kountouriotis, Miaoulis and the metropolis (17th century) with its marble bell tower. Free time to walk around the narrow streets of the country. Our next stop is another important naval power during the War of Independence of 1821, Spetses. We will visit the house-museum of Bouboulina, the first governor of the island Hatzigiannis Mexis and the post-Byzantine church of St. Nicholas. You can, if you wish, take a ride around the beautiful island in a painted carriage. We return to our hotel.
Day 3: Nafplio – City tour.
Breakfast and departure for a tour of the beautiful first capital of Greece after the liberation. We will visit the church of St. Spyridon in front of which Kapodistrias was assassinated, his house, the monument of the Bavarians, Kolokotronis and the French Philhellenes. From there we depart for Palamidi, the imposing fortress that rises 216 meters above the city of Nafplio, and which can be visited by driving up from the east side. The more daring and romantic ones reach the top by the 999 steps. It was built in the period 1687-1715 by the Venetians, after they occupied the hill on which it stands, following a fierce battle with the Ottomans during the Venetian-Turkish War. Its purpose was to be the main defensive support of Nafplio, which was the capital of the Peloponnese. At that time, it was considered a monument of fortification technique and consists of 8 bastions, surrounded by walls. Although it was considered impregnable, it was relatively easily captured by the Turks in 1715 during the last Venetian-Turkish War. One of the bastions of the fortress, the so-called “Miltiades”, which was used as a prison for the hero of the Revolution, Th. Kolokotronis was named Arvanitia. In the fortress there is also the historic chapel of Apostle Andreas, built during the Venetian era. You can then take a boat from the port of Nafplion to take a tour of Bourtzi, (island – fortress in Turkish-Arabic), an integral part of the city’s wider fortification for many centuries, or alternatively you can take a walk around Akronafplia (also known by its Turkish name, Itz Kale = inner castle). In the afternoon we return to the hotel for Easter lunch, and in the afternoon we will have time to stroll along the picturesque beach of the tourist town of Tolo
Day 4: Asini – Epidaurus – Loutraki – Return.
After having our breakfast, we depart for the area of Asini, the “traditional village” as its inhabitants like to call it, built at the foot of a high mountain on top of which is the chapel of Prophet Elias. We can also admire the Ancient Acropolis, the Mycenaean tombs in the Necropolis of Barbouna and various other churches. We will continue our route to Epidaurus, a historical city at the foot of the mountains Arachneio, Korifaio and Tithio. We will visit the Ancient Theatre and the archaeological museum, and continue to Loutraki. After a stop for rest, coffee and a walk on the beach we will take the road back!
What is included:
- Accommodation in a hotel of your choice
- Meals according to the price list
- Tours according to the programme
- Insurance
Not included:
- Entrance fees to museums & theatres and anything optional or suggested
- Municipal residence taxes
HOTELS
Departure 03/05, 4 days:
- Paradise Lost 3* – Double, Triple: Price with Breakfast (229€) / Price with Festive Half Board (329€) – Child up to 12 years old: Price with Breakfast (169€) / Price with Festive Half Board (219€) – Single: Price with Breakfast (339€) / Price with Festive Half Board (415€).
*Festive half board includes fasting dinner on Holy Friday, festive dinner after the Resurrection and festive meal on Easter Sunday.
